Esso Appalachee was a 9,819 GRT tanker that was built in 1942 as Empire Dickens by Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees, County Durham, United Kingdom for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

In 1946, she was sold into merchant service and renamed Esso Appalachee, serving until 1960, when she was scrapped.

[7] She joined Convoy FN 681, which had departed from Southend, Essex the previous day and arrived at Methil, Fife on 15 April 1942.

[8] She then joined Convoy EN 72, which departed two days later and arrived at Oban, Argyllshire on 19 April.

From Oban, Empire Dickens joined Convoy ON 89, which had departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 23 April and arrived at New York, United States on 5 May.

[9] From New York, she sailed to the Hampton Roads, Virginia, departing on 17 May as a member of Convoy KS 501, which arrived at Key West, Florida on 23 May.

Empire Dickens sailed from Pensacola on 27 May for Port Arthur, Texas, arriving the next day.

She then sailed to Boston, Massachusetts, from where she departed on 27 June for Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, arriving two days later.

[7] She then joined Convoy GAT 9, which departed that day and arrived at Trinidad on 3 October.

Empire Dickens left the convoy at Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles,[14] where she arrived on 30 September.

[7] Empire Dickens was a member of Convoy HX 212, which departed from New York on 18 October and arrived at Liverpool on 2 November.

[7] She departed on 14 January as a member of Convoy HX 223, which arrived at Liverpool on 2 February.

[7] Empire Dickens departed from Liverpool on 21 February as a member of Convoy ON 168, which dispersed off Cape Cod, Massachusetts on 12 March.

[7] Having loaded a cargo of petrol, she departed from New York on 25 March as a member of Convoy HX 231, which arrived at Liverpool on 10 April.

She was carrying a cargo of petrol bound for the Stanlow Refinery, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

[25] Empire Dickens made another return trip to New York, departing on 24 June as a member of Convoy ON 190, which arrived on 8 July.

[7] Empire Dickens departed from Liverpool on 31 July as a member of Convoy ON 195, which arrived at New York on 13 August.

[7] Empire Dickens departed from Southend on 13 October as a member of Convoy FN 1151, which arrived at Methil two days later.

[7] Empire Dickens was a member of Convoy UGS 24, which departed on 14 November and arrived at Port Said, Egypt on 12 December.

She then joined Convoy UGS 31,[7] which departed on 25 January and arrived at Port Said on 21 February.

[7] She then joined Convoy UGS 50, which departed that day and arrived at Port Said on 29 August.

[46] Carrying a cargo of petrol, she returned with Convoy HX 354, which departed on 3 May and arrived at Liverpool on 18 May.

[7] Empire Dickens departed from Naples on 19 August for Port Said, where she arrived four days later.

[49] On 6 January 1956, Esso Appalachee was in collision with the jetty at Immingham, Lincolnshire, cutting it in two and leaving a 50-foot (15 m) gap.

[50] She served until 1960, arriving on 2 August at Faslane, Argyllshire for scrapping by Shipbuilding Industries Ltd.[6]